1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to obtaining electrical measurements in a formation surrounding a borehole. In particular, the present disclosure relates to reducing the borehole effect from electrical measurements obtained at an instrument conveyed in a borehole.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electromagnetic induction resistivity well logging instruments are well known in the art for determining the electrical conductivity, and its converse, resistivity, of earth formations penetrated by a borehole. Formation conductivity has been determined based on results of measuring the magnetic field of eddy currents that the instrument induces in the formation adjoining the borehole. The electrical conductivity is used for, among other reasons, inferring the fluid content of the earth formations. Typically, lower conductivity (higher resistivity) is associated with hydrocarbon-bearing earth formations. The physical principles of electromagnetic induction well logging are well described, for example, in, J. H. Moran and K. S. Kunz, Basic Theory of Induction Logging and Application to Study of Two-Antenna Sondes, Geophysics, vol. 27, No. 6, part 1, pp. 829-858, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, December 1962. Many improvements and modifications to electromagnetic induction resistivity instruments described in the Moran and Kunz reference, supra, have been devised, some of which are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,517 to Barber, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,605 to Chandler et al., and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,246 to Fanini et al.
Conventional induction well logging techniques employ an insulating pipe inside a antenna mandrel. One or more transmitter antennas are energized by an alternating current. The oscillating magnetic field produced by this arrangement results in the induction of currents in the formations which are nearly proportional to the conductivity of the formations. These currents, in turn, contribute to the voltage induced in one or more receiver antennas. By selecting only the voltage component which is in phase with the transmitter current, a signal is obtained that is approximately proportional to the formation conductivity. In a conventional induction logging apparatus, the basic transmitter antenna and receiver antenna have axes which are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the well logging device. (For simplicity of explanation, it will be assumed that the borehole axis is aligned with the axis of the logging device, and that these are both in the vertical direction.) This arrangement tends to induce secondary current loops in the formations that are concentric with the vertically oriented transmitting and receiving antennas. The resultant conductivity measurements are indicative of the horizontal conductivity (or resistivity) of the surrounding formations. There are, however, various formations encountered in well logging which have a conductivity that is anisotropic. Conventional induction logging devices, which tend to be sensitive only to the horizontal conductivity of the formations, do not provide a measure of vertical conductivity or of anisotropy. Techniques have been developed to determine formation anisotropy, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,722 to Gianzero et al., for example.
Multi-component signals can be used for interpreting formation resistivities and petrophysical parameters. The principles used for this interpretation have been discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,274 to Mollison et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,643,589 to Zhang et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,045 to Tabarovsky et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Specifically, the parameters estimated may include horizontal and vertical resistivities (or conductivities), relative dip angles, strike angles, and petrophysical quantities such as sand and shale content and water saturation. In addition, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/125,530 of Rabinovich et al. teaches the use of multi-component measurements for analysis of fractured earth formations that may also have anisotropic layers. These multi-component signals are typically obtained using a multi-component measurement tool having antennas oriented transverse to the tool axis in addition to antennas oriented parallel to the tool axis.
The use of transverse antennas leads to a creation of and susceptibility to current produced in the borehole, known as the borehole effect. The net borehole current induces signals in transverse receiver antennas, especially coplanar transmission and receiver antennas. There current-induced signals are generally stronger for higher mud conductivity.
Obtaining accurate transverse antenna measurements depends on reducing non-formation effects such as borehole effects. The borehole effect appears when the measurement tool is not centered within the borehole. There is a need for recognizing the effect of borehole currents due to eccentricity of the tool within the borehole. The present disclosure addresses this issue.